Box hinge



1965 R. DESROSIERS 3,201,820

BOX HINGE Filed July 16, 1963 I NVENTOR.

RAYMOND DESROSIERS ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,201,829 80X HINGERaymond Desrosiers, Taunton, Mass, assignor to Ad- Vance Mfg. Co. inn,Pawtuciret, iii-1., a corporation of Rhode lisiand Filed July 16, 1963,Ser. No. 295,361 3 Claims. (l.-16it59) My present invention relates tothe box art and more particularly to a novel construction of a hinge fora metal or cardboard box.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a hingeconstruction which is easier and more economical to assemble with thebox.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hingeconstruction having a novelspring arrangement which produces a stifferaction of the spring mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hinge sectionwhich is adapted to provide a better fit on heavy cardboard boxes havingunusual thicknesses.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hingeconstruction which is easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

With the above and other objetcs and advantageous features in view, myinvention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosedin the detailed description following, in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hinge of the present invention inmounted position on a box.

FIG. 2 is an edge view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hinge in shipping position ready forassembly.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4-4 on FIG. 3.

In the manufacture of cardboard boxes, particularly in the jewelryindustry, it is desirable to provide a small box in which the upper andlower sections are provided with vertical edges which meet and in whicha metal hinge can be positioned in the box by attaching it to the upperand lower sections simultaneously. Such hinges usually consist of a pairof plates pivoted to each other by an elongated pivot hinge and providedwith tangs or barbs which pierce the cardboard box and which can be bentover to lock the plates to the box parts. In the center, the two hingesections are held to each other by a leaf spring which is hooked intothe opening in each section at each end. Such a construction is old inthe art. However, difiiculty has been encountered by the weaknesses ofthe spring, by the fact that the spring occasionally falls out of itsopenings when the hinge parts are placed in assembly position forassembling or clinching them to the box, and also because of the factthat in thick cardboard boxes the hinge disappears and the clinchingtangs are not long enough to position in the cardboard material.

The present invention is designed to provide a hinge which overcomesthese difiiculties. Referring more in de tail to the figuresillustrating my invention, the hinge of the present invention comprisesa pair of elongated rectangular plate members lid and 11 having theirabutting edges dapped inwardly at 12 and 13 as illustrated in FiGS. 2, 3and 4 to form the intermeshing pivot portions 14 through which the pivotpin 35 extends. Each plate 14) or 11 is provided along its length withspaced piercings 16 arranged in pairs to provide a pair of adjacentparallel tangs 17 in spaced position along the length of each plate.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the box 18 shown in broken lines, comprises abottom portion 19 and a cover portion 2% of identical size and havingside walls which abut edge to edge. At the rear of the inner portion ofthe box, the

plates 10 and 11 are positioned with the pivot portions 14 extendingbetween the rear edge walls of the bottom 19 and top Ztland the tangs 17are pushed through the rear walls from the inside out and then bent overinto the position shown in FIG. 1 to lock the hinge to the box. When thebox is made out of thick heavy cardboard, it is essential that the hingeextend inwardly between the edges of the rear wall portions and theconstruction illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, with the clapped portions12 and 13, accomplishes this purpose. Also, by forming the tangs it? ofseparate piercings as illustrated, the tangs can be made of maximumlength to make sure that they pierce the thick walls of the cardboardwith sufficient portions or" the tangs extending to permit bending overand clinching the plates to the box.

The hinges of the present invention are normally positioned in thepresses necessary for assembly in the posi tion shown in FIG. 3. Whereconventional springs are used they have a tendency to drop out of theopenings pro vided therefor. In accordance with the present inventionthe plates 10 and 11 are provided with openings 21 for receiving aC-shaped spring 22. However, in the present invention the spring 22 is adouble C spring having hooked ends 23 which hook into the openings 2-1as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. If a single C-shaped spring were positionedin the openings 21 in the position shown in FIG. 3 and then attemptswere made to pull the plates into aligned position for assembly as shownin l, the spring would not have sufiicient length for this purpose.Therefore, the conventional spring must be made very loose in theposition shown in FIG. 3 in order to be able to apply sufficientpressure in the position shown in FIG. 1. However, by using the doubleC-spring illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spring is given suflicientlength to retain its position in the position shown in FIG. 3 and stillhave sutficient length and resiliency to act in the proper manner in theposition shown in FIG. 1.

The use of the double C-spring, snapped into the position as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 permits shipment of the hinge in the position shown inFIG. 3 which is the position necessary for placing the hinge into thedie for the assembly. Thus the operation of twisting the hinge into theassembly position is eliminated without danger of loss of the spring.One result of the use of the double C-spring is that the spring isthicker and causes a better holding action in the box. The clappedportion as illustrated in FIG. 4 permits the use of heavy cardboard andthe long clamping action provided by the tangs 1'7 also permits the useof heavier material than would normally be possible with conventionalsprings of this type. It will be noted that the plates 10 and 11 areprovided with openings 24 at each end. These openings are assemblyopenings used in locating the hinges in the assembly dies.

The springs of the present invention are therefore easy and economicalto manufacture and assemble and are admirably suited for shipping andmounting purposes. Other advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A hinge construction for a paperboard box having a bottom and coverwith rear walls in edge to edge position, comprising a pair of elongatedrectangular plates hingedly connected along adjacent edges, there beinga rectangular slot adjacent the central portion of each plate, a doubleC-shaped spring having its free ends bent at right angles and extendingthrough said slots, and a plurality of spaced triangular tangs extendingintegrally at right angles to the surface of said plates whereby thetangs can be driven through the rear walls of the bottom and cover ofthe box and said tangs can be bent over to lock said plates to said box,said spring being hooked into said slots whereby said spring will remainin place regardless of the angular position of said plates, said hingeconnection being laterally offset from the plane of said plates by meanswhich permit adjacent edges of theplates to be biased into abuttingengagement with each other by the double C-shaped spring to retain theplates in a desired angular relationship to facilitate securing 'of thehinge to the box and space the said edges from each other when the hingeis secured to the box.

2. A hinge construction for a paperboard box having a bottom and coverwith rear walls in edge to edge position, comprising a pair of elongatedrectangular plates hingedly connected along adjacent edges, there beinga rectangular slot adjacent the central portion of each plate, a doubleC-shaped spring having its free ends bent at right angles and extendingthrough said slots, and a plurality of spaced triangular tangs extendingintegrally at right angles to the surface of said plates whereby thetangs can be driven through the rear walls of the bottom and cover ofthe box and said tangs can be bent over to lock said plates to said box,said spring being hooked into said slots whereby said spring will remainin place regardless of the angular position of said plates, said tangsbeing in a plane parallel to the hinge pivot,said hinge connection beinglaterally offset from the plane of said plates by means which permitadjacent edges of the plates to be biased into abutting engagement witheach other by the double C-shaped spring to retain the plates in adesired angular relationship to facilitate securing of the hinge to thebox and space the said edges from each other when the hinge is securedto the box.

3. A hinge construction for a paperboard box having a bottom and coverwith rear walls in edge to edge position, comprising a pair of elongatedrectangular plates hingedly connected along adjacent edges, there beinga rectangular slot adjacent the central portion of each plate, a doubleC-shaped spring having its free ends bent at right angles and extendingthrough said slots, and a plurality of spaced triangular tangs extendingintegrally at right angles to the surface of said plates whereby thetangs can be driven through the rear walls of the bottom and cover ofthe box and said tangs can be bent over to lock said plates to said box,said tangs being formed in adjacent pairs, said pairs being in spacedparallel position, said hinge connection comprising a plurality ofintegral loops alternating on the edge of each plate and a pivot pinextending through said loops, said hinge connection being laterallyoffset from the plane of said plates by means which permit adjacentedges 'of the plates to be biased into abutting engagement with eachother by the double C-shaped spring to retain the plates in a desiredangular relationship to facilitate securing of the hinge to the box andspace the said edges from each other when the hinge is secured to thebox.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,873 4/16OBrien 16159 1,461,175 7/23 Bicker.

1,626,301 4/27 Rhodes '16159 2,070,827 2/37 Dugdale 2066 2,243,065 5/41Barrett.

2,371,729 3/45 Aspenleiter 16159 2,583,350 1/52 Witzgall.

2,648,486 8/53 Young 16 159 3,121,909 2/64 Young 1 6-159 X DONLEY I.STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

1. A HINGE CONSTRUSTION FOR A PAPERBOARD BOX HAVING A BOTTOM AND COVERWITH REAR WALLS IN EDGE TO EDGE POSITION, COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATEDRECTANGULAR PLATES HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG ADJACENT EDGES, THERE BEINGA RECTANGULAR SLOT ADJACENT THE CENTRAL PORTION OF EACH PLATE, A DOUBLEC-SHAPED SPRING HAVING ITS FREE ENDS BENT AT RIGHT ANGLES AND EXTENDINGTHROUGH SAID SLOTS, AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED TRIANGULAR TANGS EXTENDINGINTEGRALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SURFACE OF SAID PLATES WHEREBY THETANGS CAN BE DRIVEN THROUGH THE REAR WALLS OF THE BOTTOM AND COVER OFTHE BOX AND SAID TANGS CAN BE BENT OVER TO LOCK SAID PLATES TO SAID BOX,SAID SPRING BEING HOOKED INTO SAID SLOTS WHEREBY SAID SPRING WILL REMAININ PLACE REGARDLESS OF THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID PLATES, SAID HINGECONNECTION BEING LATERALLY OFFSET FROM THE PLANE OF SAID PLATES BY MEANSWHICH PERMIT ADJACENT EDGES OF THE PLATES TO BE BIASED INTO ABUTTINGENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER BY THE DOUBLE C-SHAPED SPRING TO RETAIN THEPLATES IN A DESIRED ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP TOI FACILITATE SECURING OF THEHINGE TO THE BOX AND SPACE THE SAID EDGES FROM EACH OTHER WHEN THE HINGEIS SECURED TO THE BOX.